The new extraction shooter Marathon is clearly different from the competition in one point, and players appreciate that.
What is the difference? The thrill of extraction shooters like Marathon often lies in losing your gear and loot when you die. Thus, every death represents a setback, which can also be frustrating.
At the same time, players consider whether it is necessary to take the best gear for each round or if they should rather bring a sparing kit to reduce risk.
In Marathon, however, players have recognized a completely unique rhythm that sets it apart from the competition. The title forces players to sacrifice their gear without inducing frustration.
Here you can see the trailer for Marathon:
Less frustration and more risk
How is this in Marathon? As players explain in a post on Reddit, Marathon wants players to enter raids with good gear. You should not save your equipment, but rather risk everything and lose it if necessary.
To prevent this from becoming frustrating, there are easier ways to quickly obtain good loot compared to the competition. There is only a short wait time to play the Rook, the Scav class in the game. With it, players can earn a lot of loot without risk.
At the same time, the risk is heightened by the fact that Marathon does not offer a secure stash. While the genre pioneer Escape from Tarkov provides containers with some slots for loot that remains even when the character dies, Marathon is harsher in this regard.
How do players feel about this? Players appreciate the new direction that the extraction shooter is taking. The developers have succeeded in redefining a component of the genre and thus standing out. Players react on Reddit:
- proudownerofatumor: ”The game provides an absolutely insane amount of gear even for the average player. I currently have over 40 reward caches from my faction lying around because my safe is already full, and quests reward you with tons of random and diverse items that allow you to quickly get back on your feet, even after losing your stuff. […]”
- Eldorren:
Basically, I play as many kits as I can until I can’t anymore, and then I just do a few Rook rounds to gather. Repeat and start over. I thought they designed it this way at least? I mean, it makes sense. […]
- onesillyman: “I think the lack of a secure stash definitely contributes to that.”
- RestaurantSmooth: “Marathon might be the first game that actually forces you to overcome the fear of gear. […] the entire design seems to be aimed at helping one get over gear fear. You should risk your kit, lose it, learn, and try again. It’s actually kind of refreshing compared to games in which people just hoard their best gear forever. […]”
Breaking with a genre constant refreshes players, and the developers have done a good job with that. However, players see it differently in PvE, the part where ARC Raiders particularly excels. Here, players have very different opinions: Gamers miss what makes ARC Raiders special in Marathon – but the community shows that both sides are possible
